Sainsbury’s staff campaign to cut electricity by 3%

Sainsbury's hopes that a new staff engagement campaign will help reduce its electricity use by 3% within two years. This will save the company "millions" in energy bills.


The campaign will encourage staff to make a number of small changes to save energy. Measures being rolled out include switching off bakery ovens and hot counters when not in use, pulling down chiller/fridge blinds at night and keeping the air grills for chillers and freezers clear of products and signs so that cold air is not pushed into the aisles.

In addition to the energy saving tips, the campaign staff will have access to training and toolkits. Energy leads will be appointed at all locations to drive the activities and update colleagues each month on progress.

Sainsbury’s also hopes that some friendly competition will lead to even greater savings; a league table has been created to monitor performance and success throughout the campaign.

Paul Crewe, head of sustainability, energy and engineering at the supermarket told edie.net that the scheme has been rolled out to all of the company’s stores, distribution centres, and Store Support Centres across the UK following the success of the ‘energy saving week’ last year.

“We believe that our 157,000 colleagues can make a positive impact if they do just one thing differently each day to help reduce energy, water or waste at home and at work. We’re also going to embed this guidance into training for all new colleagues that join Sainsbury’s, which will also help us on our 20×20 journey,” he said.

The campaign also encourages behaviour change outside work, with staff encouraged to switch off lights at night, take four-minute showers to save water and use energy-saving shower heads and LED energy-saving light bulbs.

Sainsbury’s is aspiring to become the ‘UK’s Greenest Grocer’. As part of its 20×20 sustainability plan, it has committed to reducing its operational carbon emissions by 30% (absolute) and 65% (relative) compared with 2005.

It has achieved an absolute reduction in electricity use of more than 11% in the past five years in its supermarkets, despite a 31% increase in space.

The plan will be updated next month, 20 November 2013.

edie staff

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